A Self-Study of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in a Higher Education Institution in the United Arab Emirates

• In Event: 43.068 - Fostering Relational Pedagogy: Self-Study as Transformative Praxis

Abstract

For nearly a decade I taught at the largest women’s college in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The majority of my students were first-generation female students, meaning they were the first one in their families to pursue higher education. I engaged in this self-study in an attempt to understand my students’ experiences and academic needs as well as my own praxis (Samaras & Freese, 2006; Whitehead, 2004). Through this self-study, I examined my pedagogical practices in order to become a more culturally competent instructor. I learned there was a great need for culturally relevant pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including student’s cultural knowledge and prior experiences in all aspects of learning, thus enriching students’ learning experiences and engagement (Landson-Billings, 1994).

Author

• Sepideh Mahani, Yorkville Univeristy